John Reid

For six years the former Iranian ambassador battled accusations he was an arms dealer. Now, he tells Paul Peachey that the political brinkmanship by the UK and the US over his extradition cost him his health

JOHN REID will replace the suspended Kieren Fallon on Iscan in the St Leger a week on Saturday. Fallon, successful in three of the four Classics run so far this season and due to partner the Michael Stoute- trained colt, was ruled out of the final three days of the Doncaster meeting after receiving a five-day ban for careless riding at Ripon on Tuesday.

TONY BLAIR was last night accused of abusing the peerage system after elevating George Robertson, the Secretary of State for Defence, to the House of Lords, thereby forcing an early by-election in Scotland and catch the Scottish National Party off guard.

GEORGE ROBERTSON, the Secretary of State for Defence, is to land the top job at Nato after his nomination met with no opposition during informal talks among the alliance's ambassadors in Brussels yesterday.